United States military involvement in Vietnam lasted 19 years. The last 10 or so were its most intense, with the last few winding things down. In total, we lost over 58,000 troops with over 150,000 injured.
As I am sure you know, there were massive protests against the war throughout the country for years, and it significantly affected the governance of our country.
By contrast, Russia’s military involvement in The Ukraine has lasted about 4 1/2 years. In that far more abbreviated period of time, Russia – depending on which report you rely on – has lost between 200,000 and 450,000 troops, with about a million injured.
As you may be aware, we have heard about no significant protests in Russia to date. I’m not talking massive or even just large, I’m talking about just about any meaningful protests of any kind.
My question: is this logical? Even possible?
Russia’s young men have been conscripted by the hundreds of thousands. Casualty levels are through the roof. And Ukraine forces have done major damage to Russian assets: not just military assets but domestic assets on Russia’s own territory..
And no serious protests are taking place???
Either we are being overtly lied to…
…or the people of Russia have no problem with putin divesting them of a generation of young men to fight a war he started…
…or the people of Russia do have a problem, maybe a huge problem, with this war, but scared that if they protest Putin they will wind up the same way numbers of high-level Russian opponents have in recent years: dead.
Whatever the reason, those casualty figures are what they are. And I, for one, do not believe the people of Russia could possibly be okay with so many dead/injured youth over a debilitating war that was supposed to last more than few weeks and is now in its 5th year.
Let me end by expressing wonderment that we have not heard of assassination attempts against Putin to this date – either by regular citizens, or military (do you really think they want to fight this war?) or even the security forces that guard him.
Any day someone takes this murderous disaster out is a day that will not surprise me.
